Riesenflugzeug R.31 shot down 15/16-9-1918
 

The R.VI 31/16 of RFa 501 was shot down by Lt.Frank Broome of 151 Sqd. near Beugny. Are crew details of the crew who were killed, apart from the pilot/observer Lt. Wohlgemuth who was taken prisoner, known please. Apparently Wohlgemuth ran through the aircraft telling the crew to 'get out' (bail out ?) and was the sole survivor, did he bail out or survive the crash. I understand the crews of these Giants had parachutes but would the canopy have been built into the harness or contained in a basket needing attachment to the harness before jumping . A report on the losses on the 9/10-5-18 said the crews were told to use their chutes if a landing was impossible,

Regards
Brian Bines

Windsock Datafile 123 says the Staaken XIVs were equipped with Heinecke parachutes stored in external fuselage compartments and hook up lines, so I guess the Heinecke chutes were used on earlier aircraft but were not factory installed.